McCain Can Beat Clinton… With Ease
The latest Rasmussen Reports poll shows that if the Republican Party wants to nominate a candidate who can beat Hillary Clinton its nominee has to be John McCain.
In the telephone survey conducted very recently, the Senator from Arizona holds a six point lead over the Senator from New York (49% to 43%). A month ago “McCain had a two-point edge over the former First Lady. However, before that, Clinton edged out McCain by at least a point or two in six consecutive surveys of the match-up.”
If, on the other hand, the GOP nominates Governor Mike Huckabee, Clinton’s chances are much better: she leads him by four points (47% to 43%).
One of the main reasons McCain fares so well (aside from Iraq)? He appeals to both moderates and conservatives. In that regard it’s interesting to note that 31% of those asked consider him a conservative, against 45% who call him a moderate.
What’s also interesting is that McCain also leads Barack Obama by two points. He trails John Edwards for some reason, but luckily – for him – Edwards doesn’t stand a chance of winning the Democratic Party’s nomination.
As I said recently, I think that if the key issue for Republicans is to beat the Democratic nominee, they should nominate McCain. Of course, Giuliani could do fairly well as well, as could Romney. Sure, Romney isn’t doing all that great in some match-ups, but one has to remember that he might not be as well known as McCain and Giuliani and he’s focusing, now, completely on Republican voters. Once he becomes the GOP’s nominee, however, other voters will soon get to know him as well.
So, although McCain is the safe choice in that regard, I think that Romney would make a lot of sense as well. More so than Giuliani, if for nothing else than because the former mayor of New York won’t be able to unite the party (Evangelicals will rebel, whereas they may support Romney despite his religion).
And Fred Thompson? Thompson will lose from, at least, Barack Obama. I’m quite sure about that. Why? Because Obama brings a message of hope and change and is energetic. Thompson, however, comes across as if he’s grumpy and lacking in energy. Obama will kick his butt in a general election.
Thompson would do better against Clinton, but here too he has a message problem (as in positive attitude and energy).
I have a great deal of respect for everything McCain has gone through, but he was guilty of putting out false information about Iraq, which caused us to go to war – now he’s trying to do the same with Iran.
Obama’s Church; Cauldron of Division – You might want to google this article.
If Edwars beats McCain whereas Obama and Hillary do not, why are Democrats not supporting Edwards?Do they prefer a Republican president?I have read Edwards beats every Republican. Why are you crossing him out?Do Democrats have a death wish?I am a Democrat, I support Edwards. However, I am likely to vote for McCain rather than for Obama or Hillary. Otherwise, I will stay home. The rest: more of the same. The Senate has given Bush everything he wanted.The Senate has a low performance rate. Both Obama and Hillary are members of the low performing Senate. Obama for a short time, with the greatest number of missing votes; including the vote on Iran he is vocal about (against Hillary). Where was his voice? The Senate for him is a stepping stone to the presidency rather than a job the people of Illinois sent him to do.He became Senator after defeating Alan Keyes; not too much of an achievement in my opinion.Hillary is not running on her own two feet; the first woman president is relying on her man to get there. Who are we voting for Bill or Hillary? Where does Bill end and Hillary begins?I know what I am getting with Edwards and McCain. Obama and Hillary? Don’t trust them.
There goes the Hillary bashing again. Are you all afraid of a woman being president? Hillary this and Hillary that. WTH. No one talks about the great job she has done for NYS and even crossed party lines to get things done.
If Hillary does well enough in Iowa and NH to become the real frontrunner again, I think it will come down to this kind of calculation on the GOP side. And the question is, which potential GOP ticket would attract the votes of the Dems and Independents who will turn out to vote against Hillary? If certain GOP candidates are put up against Clinton, the Dems/moderates who dislike Hillary will find some of them even worse than her and will either grudgingly cast a vote for her or they’ll stay home. But if a GOP ticket is at least more acceptable to them than a Clinton presidency is, then the GOP can win it by attracting those swing voters. Increasingly it looks like McCain might be that candidate, and Huckabee also attracts some people like that because of his positive message and great communication skills. I think the two of them on one ticket would be the GOP’s best chance, and they’d also be likely to perform well against Obama I think- because Huckabee brings the positive, non-establishment, hopeful message, while McCain has much more experience than any of them.